Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to achieve their maiden home victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Fixture
England's head coach has received a timely lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for his first appearance since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded group revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
England will welcome New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England endured six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses came against the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at home after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to keep aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and while South Africa cemented their top ranking, the captain described New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, the team's sole win over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class talent,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at this venue. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to do everything we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to step up a level when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the first half this week. But also, have a defined strategy which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a several changes to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer both suffered issues against Fiji but both have been selected in the squad preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a great test for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, in addition, thinks that England’s present ability to pull clear in the closing stages of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the changing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
